Speaking with MMAJunkie over the weekend, Dana White discussed the UFC’s new ESPN deal and what it would mean for the company going forward, saying that he didn’t know what would happen but that The Ultimate Fighter could be finished after its next season.
“We don’t know yet,” White said. “We’re coming up on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter. We don’t know. It might be the last one. 13 years, The Ultimate Fighter has gone. It’s incredible.”
The Ultimate Fighter has aired for 13 years. Last week, ESPN made a deal to purchase the UFC broadcast rights currently owned by Fox, making ESPN and their digital streaming service, ESPN+, the new home of the UFC, all for the substantial price of $300 million per year for five years. Though the UFC’s marquee series may be on it’s last legs, White says there will be plenty of other content for the avid fight fan to keep up with.
“That’s exactly right, 42 shows [a year],” White said. “I have the ability to make some original content for those guys too, and it’s going to be awesome. ESPN wouldn’t cover us; now we’re on ESPN. Anybody who doesn’t think this is a win, just shut up. Stop covering the sport if you think this isn’t a win.”
Among those 42 shows will be 20 Fight Night events per year as well as all future seasons of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series which will move over to ESPN’s digital platform. As for the UFC’s own digital streaming service, White says Fight Pass isn’t going anywhere.
“Fight Pass is gonna be the destination where the entire library sits and you can go in and watch whatever fight you want too or whatever other content we have on there,” White said. “So that’ll be the same. And this ESPN deal is [only for the] U.S. So, Fight Pass is the rest of the world.”